The Social Democratic Party (PSD) in Romania having appointed Senator Dan Sova (in picture) as the government liaison to parliament has angered Romania's Jewish population and made headlines in Israel, after Sova had made a Holocaust denying comment. ActiveWatch organization has also expressed concern over the naming.

According to reports in Israeli media, Sova said in an interview earlier this year that during the Second World War, “No Jew suffered on Romanian soil,” as well as that in Iasi only 24 Jews were killed on the orders of German soldiers. Estimates quoted by Arutz Sheva and Ynet News put the number of Jews killed in Iasi at between 13,000 and 15,000. The PSD suspended Sova following his comments and sent him to Washington to visit the Holocaust museum. He later said his statements had been misunderstood, but according to Israeli media, never made an apology. However, on his personal blog, he wrote a letter to the Israeli Ambassador to Romania, saying he was sorry for how his message was interpreted and withdrawing all the statements that could negatively affect the Jewish people and the of memory Holocaust victims.

The president of the Jewish community in Bucharest Erwin Simsensohn said that Romania's Jews were “infuriated,” quoted by Arutz Sheva and Ynet News. Simsensohn added that Holocaust denial is illegal in Romania. “Anyone who thinks that his trip to Washington changed his opinions or stances is completely naïve,” he told Ynet. “As far as we are concerned, this is unacceptable. We are loyal to Romania, and we will work with any government. We will make every effort to support projects that are beneficial to Romania. But we won't sit idly by when a person like that is appointed as minister,” said Erwin Simsensohn, quoted by Ynet News.

Liam Lever, liam@romania-insider.com

(photo source: Gov.ro)